Wings will wait out Doan no matter how long it takes

DETROIT – Despite waiting a week to even begin fielding offers from other teams when free agency began on July 1, Shane Doan is no closer to making his decision on if he’s staying in Phoenix or moving to a different franchise.

“Nothing’s happening right now,” said Terry Bross, Doan’s agent.

But that could all change since the city clerk’s office of Glendale, Arizona rejected petitions on Monday that sought to put a referendum on the November ballot about the Coyotes’ pending arena management deal.

The referendum would give voters a chance to decide whether to overturn the city’s 20-year, $324 million lease agreement with potential Coyotes buyer Greg Jamison.

“We’re going to wait a couple more days to see if this Jamison thing goes through,” Bross said. “Not all the petitions have been defeated.”

It’s not the news the Wings were looking for, but they’re willing to wait it out.

“We’ve been in contact,” Wings general manager Ken Holland said. “We’ve talked about what we’re thinking of. They know we have interest.”

There is a long list of teams interested in Doan, who’s looking for a multiyear deal, after many of them lost out on the bidding for Zach Parise.

The Wings appear to be on Doan’s short list of where he would like to play if he doesn’t return to Phoenix.

Doan, who made $4.5 million last season, has played his entire career for the organization, which moved from Winnipeg after the 1995-96 season.

He has scored at least 20 goals in 11 of the last 12 seasons and has scored 26 goals or more seven times in his career.

In 1,198 career games, Doan, who has reportedly been offered a four-year deal worth $30 million from a team in the Eastern Conference, has 318 goals and 470 assists.

If Doan decides to remain in Phoenix the Wings could still go after Alexander Semin, who remains unsigned. Semin, who has averaged 31 goals over the past six season with the Washington Capitals, would like a long-team deal from a team, but may have to accept something short term, since there is a huge question mark about his commitment.

Detroit has 22 players signed for $53.3 million, with a salary cap of $70.2 million. The signed players include forward Gustav Nyquist and defenseman Brendan Smith, both on two-way deals.

Quincey, who has a July 25 hearing with an arbitrator, could be more difficult to sign at the number the Wings want since he made $3.25 million a year ago. They’re hoping to get him at a modest raise.

“The hope is we find a solution without getting to that point,” Holland said. “We’re talking so we’ll see.”

The Wings would like to get Abdelkader, who didn’t file for salary arbitration, to sign a four-year deal at just under $2 million a season. They made him an offer just before the draft.

“I’m not concerned,” Holland said. “It’s a matter of sitting down and having further discussions.”

That leaves Detroit about $12 million under the salary cap and 24 players, one over the roster limit.

However, with a possible role back in the salary cap as the NHL and NHL Players Association begin to negotiate a new collective bargaining agreement, the Wings probably won’t come close to hitting the $70.2 million ceiling this season. Therefore they won’t have to trim payroll if that occurs.